“Spirited Away” is another film directed (and written by) Hayao Miyazaki, who also did “Kiki’s Delivery Service” and “Howl’s Moving Castle”. His style of storing telling and animation is so unique, and so very different from Disney movies.
Miyazaki doesn’t assume that kids can’t understand more complex plots or be interested in something for shorter periods of time (most of his movies clock in around two hours or more). “Spirited Away” is the story of young Chihiro, who is on her way with her parents to their new home. She’s not happy about it, and is quite pouty and immature when the movie first begins. Her parents take a wrong turn though, and end up on a dirt road that comes to a stop at a tunnel. They decide to get out and take a look. Chihiro follows reluctantly, and when they pass through the tunnel, they see a city on top of a large hill. Her parents figure it would be a good place to get something to eat before continuing on to their new home, and head into the village.
But the village is seemingly deserted, but as they look around, Chihiro’s parents find steaming hot food everywhere. Chihiro warns them they should just go, but her parents don’t listen and start eating everything in sight. Chihiro leaves them for a bit, and when she returns, her parents undergo a startling transformation. Both turn into huge swine. Chihiro runs, looking for someone to help her, and comes across a young man who calls himself Haku. He helps Chihiro hide from strange beings and spirits that pass by and tells her that as long as she holds her breath while crossing the bridge to Yubaba’s, no one will be able to see her. He tells her that she and her parents have stumbled into the spirit realm, a sort of in-between place where the spirits go to rest and recharge. But Chihiro doesn’t make it across and is spotted by the spirits. Haku uses magic to help them escape and tells Chihiro that she must make her way to the bathhouse and ask the man in the boiler room for a job. He tells her to keep asking, and that she won’t be denied, even though they will try and trick her into giving up.
Chihiro eventually gets a job, and tries to figure out a way to save her parents. Haku promises to help, though he reports to Yubaba, the old crone that runs the bathhouse for the spirits. What follows is a strange story, but one where the main character, Chihiro, goes through major growth. Though she is immature at the start of the movie, she grows up thanks to her experiences and realizes that her life isn’t as bad as she thought. Chihiro not only saves herself and her parents, but Haku and many others who have been unhappy working for the greedy Yubaba.
Because of some of the strange imagery, I think this movie would be best for ages 10 and up. It is rated PG for some scary moments.